Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;
it takes the lives of those who receive it.

whose paths are crooked,
and whose ways are devious.

Her ways are pleasant,
and all her paths, peaceful.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her,
and those who hold on to her are happy.

for the devious are detestable to the Lord,
but He is a friend to the upright.

For they can’t sleep
unless they have done what is evil;
they are robbed of sleep
unless they make someone stumble.

For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.

Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey
and her words are smoother than oil,

She doesn’t consider the path of life;
she doesn’t know that her ways are unstable.

For a man’s ways are before the Lord’s eyes,
and He considers all his paths.

The Lord hates six things;
in fact, seven are detestable to Him:

For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light,
and corrective discipline is the way to life.

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call understanding your relative.

For she has brought many down to death;
her victims are countless.

Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced;
develop common sense, you who are foolish.

All the words of my mouth are righteous;
none of them are deceptive or perverse.

All of them are clear to the perceptive,
and right to those who discover knowledge.

With me are riches and honor,
lasting wealth and righteousness.

“And now, my sons, listen to me;
those who keep my ways are happy.

If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit;
if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”

But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,
but the one who controls his lips is wise.

When the whirlwind passes,
the wicked are no more,
but the righteous are secure forever.

The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.

Dishonest scales are detestable to the Lord,
but an accurate weight is His delight.

The righteousness of the upright rescues them,
but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.

With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor,
but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

Those with twisted minds are detestable to the Lord,
but those with blameless conduct are His delight.

The thoughts of the righteous are just,
but guidance from the wicked leads to deceit.

The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.

The wicked are overthrown and perish,
but the house of the righteous will stand.

A righteous man cares about his animal’s health,
but even the merciful acts of the wicked are cruel.

No disaster overcomes the righteous,
but the wicked are full of misery.

Lying lips are detestable to the Lord,
but faithful people are His delight.

Riches are a ransom for a man’s life,
but a poor man hears no threat.

Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty,
but an abundant harvest comes
through the strength of an ox.

The inexperienced inherit foolishness,
but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

The evil bow before those who are good,
the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.

A poor man is hated even by his neighbor,
but there are many who love the rich.

The wicked one is thrown down by his own sin,
but the righteous one has a refuge in his death.

The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,
observing the wicked and the good.

All the days of the oppressed are miserable,
but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

The Lord detests the plans of an evil man,
but pleasant words are pure.

Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are His concern.

Righteous lips are a king’s delight,
and he loves one who speaks honestly.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb:
sweet to the taste and health to the body.

Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
and the pride of sons is their fathers.

Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;
how much worse are lies for a ruler.

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just—
both are detestable to the Lord.

The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters,
a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.

A fool’s mouth is his devastation,
and his lips are a trap for his life.

A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.

The name of Yahweh is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are protected.

An offended brother is harder to reach
than a fortified city,
and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

All the brothers of a poor man hate him;
how much more do his friends
keep their distance from him!
He may pursue them with words,
but they are not there.

A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a sensible wife is from the Lord.

Many plans are in a man’s heart,
but the Lord’s decree will prevail.

Judgments are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.

>

Differing weights and varying measures—
both are detestable to the Lord.

There is gold and a multitude of jewels,
but knowledgeable lips are a rare treasure.

Differing weights are detestable to the Lord,
and dishonest scales are unfair.

A man’s steps are determined by the Lord,
so how can anyone understand his own way?

The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,
and the treacherous, for the upright.

Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,
but a foolish man consumes them.

A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,
but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.

There are thorns and snares on the path of the crooked;
the one who guards himself stays far from them.

For it is pleasing if you keep them within you
and if they are constantly on your lips.

indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber
and increases those among men who are unfaithful.

by knowledge the rooms are filled
with every precious and beautiful treasure.

Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent”—
people will curse him, and tribes will denounce him;

These too are proverbs of Solomon,
which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, copied.

A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.

Smooth lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.

When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him,
for there are seven abominations in his heart.

The wounds of a friend are trustworthy,
but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.

A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;
the inexperienced keep going and are punished.

An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike.

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
and people’s eyes are never satisfied.

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

When the wicked come to power,
people hide,
but when they are destroyed,
the righteous flourish.

>

There is a generation whose teeth are swords,
whose fangs are knives,
devouring the oppressed from the land
and the needy from among mankind.

The leech has two daughters: “Give, Give!”
Three things are never satisfied;
four never say, “Enough!”:

Three things are beyond me;
four I can’t understand:

Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:

the ants are not a strong people,
yet they store up their food in the summer;

hyraxes are not a mighty people,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

Three things are stately in their stride,
even four are stately in their walk:

Speak up for those who have no voice,
for the justice of all who are dispossessed.

She draws on her strength
and reveals that her arms are strong.

She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.

She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.

Strength and honor are her clothing,
and she can laugh at the time to come.

“Many women are capable,
but you surpass them all!”